Ravel, the chair of the FPPC, said, "The contribution is extremely large and obviously intended to influence the electorate in California."

"My view is the electorate, the people of this state, have a right to know before an election who is contributing," Ravel told KCRA 3.

The FPPC is seeking a preliminary injunction against Americans for Responsible Leadership, the Arizona group that donated the money to the Small Business Action Committee, a California-based political action committee.

The SBAC is funneling the money to two different California campaigns.

Some of the money is directed to the "No on 30" campaign, which is opposed to Gov. Jerry Brown's $6 million tax-hike proposal.

The rest of the $11 million will be spent on the "Yes on 32" campaign, which would prohibit labor unions from deducting money from members' paychecks for political causes they don't support.

Beth Miller, a spokeswoman for the Small Business Action Committee, told KCRA 3, "We are simply a recipient of the money."

"Our attorneys sort of vetted them, found that they were a bona-fide organization," Miller told KCRA 3.

"And we accepted their donations. In turn, we advised them of their filing responsibilities with the Fair Political Practices Commission, " Miller said.

The Small Business Action Committee is not a party to the lawsuit filed by the Fair Political Practices Commission.

In court on Thursday, the FPPC's Gary Winuk said, "Each day brings more public harm and less public knowledge of this contribution before the election."

Americans for Responsible Leadership claimed the FPPC had no authority to audit its books.

"This group has First Amendment rights," said Bradley Benbrook, a California attorney representing ARL in court.

Judge Barry Loncke ordered ARL to submit legal motions by Monday and to be in court next Tuesday, Oct. 30. The court is expected to rule then on whether California can compel the group to hand over its records and reveal its donors.

Diplomats and negotiators kept working Tuesday as a deadline approached to reach a deal on a framework agreement on Iran's nuclear program, but a U.S. State Department official said the discussion may continue after the cutoff.